Invest in the USA (IIUSA) is the international membership association for the EB-5 Visa Regional Center Program. The Program allows foreign nationals to invest between $900,000 and $1.8M into U.S. projects in exchange for the opportunity to apply for a green card.
IIUSA corporate and individual members include foreign chambers of commerce, domestic immigration attorneys, developers, financial service providers, brokers, migration agents, Regional Center operators, and economic development organizations.
In 2018, IIUSA faced numerous hurdles including losing their executive director, stagnant membership numbers, and idle advocacy efforts. These challenges, in conjunction with the on-going day-to-day operational demands, hindered the association’s functionality, reputation, and growth opportunities.
Immediately after Grau & Associates began work, it identified and rectified IIUSA’s financial management protocols and began generating cost-savings to improve IIUSA’s domestic and international event management. Successful and efficient events yielded increased attendance and membership activity.
Since the onset of COVID-19 restrictions, G&A helped IIUSA redevelop its foreign and domestic in-person events to “virtual events.” Although the events’ net revenue was lower than if the events were in-person, their profitability was much higher.
After overcoming technical questions and adjustments, G&A lowered the cost for participants which actually increased the virtual events’ attendance beyond their typical in-person numbers. The increased “eyes and clicks” attracted more sponsors that increased the events’ profitability and ultimately, the association’s enrollment! IIUSA now has virtual events planned for markets in the United States, South Africa, and Brazil.
Grau & Associates also tackled the need for more consistent branding and messaging through a membership and stakeholder market reevaluation. The analysis prompted creating an educational video for the public, potential members, and government officials illustrating the EB-5 program’s economic impact on communities and IIUSA’s impact on EB-5.
Since partnering with IIUSA, G&A maximized IIUSA’s efficiencies and effectiveness; reducing the association’s costs, increasing its income, improving its domestic and international events, and developing new membership initiatives and programming.
